CIHM 
Microfiche 
Series 
(Monographs) 


ICI\AH 

Collection  de 
microfiches 
(monographies) 


Canadian  Inatituta  for  Hiatorlcal  Microraproductiona  /  Inatitut  Canadian  da  microraproductiont  hiatorlquaa 


1995 


Technical  and  Bibliographic  Notes  /  Notes  technique  et  bibliographiques 


The  Institute  has  attempted  to  obtain  the  best  original 
copy  available  (or  filming.  Features  of  this  copy  which 
may  be  bibliographically  unique,  which  may  alter  any  of 
the  images  in  the  reproduction,  or  which  may 
significantly  change  the  usual  method  of  filming  are 
checked  below. 


D 


Cokxiied  coveis  / 
Cot'verture  de  couleur 


I     I     Coveis  damaged  / 

' — '      Couverture  endommagee 

I     I     Covers  restored  anchor  laminated  / 
—      Couverture  restaur^e  et/ou  pelliculee 

I     I      Cover  title  missing /Letitrede  couverture  manque 

I     I     Coloured  maps  /  Cartes  gSographiques  en  couleur 

I     I     Coloured  ink  (Leoiher  than  blue  or  black)/ 
Encre  de  couleur  (i.e.  autre  que  bleue  ou  noire) 

I     I     Coloured  plates  and/or  iHustratrons/ 
Planches  et/ou  illustrations  en  couleur 

I     I      Bound  with  other  material  / 

ReliS  avec  d'autres  documents 

I     I     Only  edition  available  / 
I — '      Seule  Aditkxi  disponible 

I  I  Tight  binding  may  cause  shadows  or  distortion 
along  interior  margin  /  La  reliure  serrde  peut 
causer  de  I'ombre  ou  de  la  distorslon  le  long  de 
la  marge  interieure. 

I  I  Blank  leaves  added  during  lestoralions  may  appear 
within  the  text.  Whenever  possible,  these  have 
been  omitted  from  filming  /  II  se  peut  que  ceitaines 
pages  blanches  ajouties  tors  d'une  restauration 
appaiaissent  dans  le  texte,  mals,  kxsque  cela  etait 
posstile,  ces  pages  n'ont  pas  e»  finises. 


L'Institut  a  microfilm*  le  meilleur  examplaire  qu'il  lui  a 
ete  possible  de  se  procurer.  Le--  details  dc  cet  exem- 
plaire  qui  sont  peut-6tre  unirjues  du  point  de  vue  bibli- 
ographique,  qui  peuvent  modifier  une  image  reproiiuite, 
ou  qui  peuvent  exiger  une  modifications  dans  la  m^th- 
ode  normale  de  filmage  sont  indiqu6s  ci-dessoj^,. 

I     I     Cotoured  pages/ Pages  de  couleur 

I     I     Pages  damaged  /  Pages  endommag^es 

I     i     Pages  restored  and/or  laminated  / 
— '     Pages  restaur«es  et/ou  pelinul^es 

rp>      Pages  discotoured,  stained  or  (oxed  / 
^^^     Pages  dicotorSes,  tachettes  ou  piquees 

I     [     Pages  detached/ Pages  d6tachees 

r7|      Showthrough/ Transparence 

I     I     Quality  of  print  varies/ 

' — '      Quality  inigale  de  I'impresskm 

I     I     Includes  supplementary  material  / 

—  Comprend  du  materiel  suppl6mentaire 

I     I      Pages  wholly  or  partially  obscured  by  errata 

—  slips,  tissues,  etc.,  have  been  returned  to 
ensure  the  best  possible  Image  /  Les  pages 
totalement  ou  partiellement  obscurcies  par  un 
feuillet  d'errata,  une  pelute,  etc.,  ont  ete  filmees 
h  nouveau  de  fajon  h  obtenir  la  meilleure 
image  possible. 

I  I  Opposing  pages  with  varying  colouration  or 
discolourations  are  filmed  twree  to  ensure  the 
best  possible  image  /  Les  pages  s'opposant 
ayant  des  colorations  variables  ou  des  >1teol- 
oiations  sont  filmees  deux  fois  afin  d'obtenir  la 
meilleur  image  possible. 


D 


Addttonal  comments  / 
Commentaires  suppKmentaiies: 


Thii  itam  is  fihnid  at  tlw  rtduetion  ritio  ciMckMl  btlow/ 

C<  docuimiit  «t  liliiM  eu  uux  dt  riduction  indiqui  ci-dMSOin. 

'OX  14X 


CE 


tax 


12X 


ax 


Tha  copy  fllmad  har«  hu  baan  raproduead  thanki 
to  tha  ganarodty  of: 

National  Library  of  Canada 


L'axamplaira  film*  fut  raproduit  grtca  i  la 
Stntroait*  da: 

Blbliotheque  natlonale  du  Canada 


Tha  imaga*  appaaring  hara  ara  tha  batt  quality 
poiaibia  coniidaring  tha  condition  and  iagibility 
of  tha  original  copy  and  in  kaaping  with  tha 
filming  contract  apacif Icationa. 


Original  copias  in  printed  papor  eovora  ara  fllmad 
baginning  with  tha  front  eovar  and  anding  on 
tha  laat  paga  with  a  printad  or  illuatra:ad  impraa- 
aion,  or  the  back  covar  whan  appropriate.  All 
other  original  eopiea  ara  filmed  beginning  on  the 
firat  paga  with  a  printad  or  illuatrated  imprea- 
aion,  and  anding  on  the  leat  pege  with  a  printed 
or  illuatrated  impreaaien. 


The  laat  recorded  frame  on  eech  microfiche 
ahell  eonuin  the  aymboi  — ^  (meaning  "CON- 
TINUED"), or  the  symbol  ▼  (meaning  "END"), 
whichever  applies. 

Mepa.  platea,  charts,  etc.,  may  be  filmed  at 
different  reduction  ratios.  Those  too  large  to  be 
entirely  included  in  one  axpoaura  are  filmed 
beginning  in  the  upper  left  hend  corner,  left  to 
right  end  top  to  bottom,  as  many  frames  aa 
required.  The  following  diagrama  illuatrata  the 
method: 


Lea  imeges  suivantas  ont  ttt  raproduiias  avac  la 
plus  grand  soin,  compta  tanu  de  la  condition  at 
da  le  nettet*  de  I'nempleire  filmt.  at  »n 
conformit*  avac  lee  conditions  du  contrat  de 
fllmaga. 

Las  exemplelrea  origlnaua  dont  la  couvartura  an 
papier  eet  imprimie  sent  filmta  en  commencani 
par  le  premier  plot  et  en  terminant  soit  par  la 
darni^re  page  qui  comporte  una  amprainta 
d'impiesslon  ou  d'illustretion,  soit  par  la  second 
plat,  salon  le  eea.  Toua  lee  autres  axemplairas 
originaux  sent  filmte  an  commencant  par  la 
pramiire  pege  qui  comporte  une  amprainte 
d'impraasion  ou  d'illuatration  et  en  terminant  par 
la  darnitro  paga  qui  comporte  une  telle 
empreinte. 

Un  doa  symbolaa  suivants  apparattra  sur  la 
damlAre  imaga  da  cheque  microfiche,  salon  la 
caa:  la  symbole  — »  signifie  "A  SUIVRE".  la 
aymbola  ▼  signifie  "FIN". 

Lea  eartaa.  planches,  tableeux.  etc..  pauvent  itre 
filmta  i  dea  taux  de  rMuction  diffaranis. 
Lorsqua  le  document  est  trap  grand  pour  ttra 
raproduit  en  un  seul  clicha.  il  est  film*  a  partir 
de  I'angle  supArieur  gauche,  da  gauche  i  droita. 
et  de  haut  en  baa.  an  prenent  le  nombre 
d'imegea  nteasaaire.  Lea  diegremmes  suivents 
illuatrant  la  mtthode. 


1  2  3 


1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

MtdOCOrr    DHOUITION   TIST  CHAIT 

(ANSI  and  ISO  TEST  CHART  No.  2) 


M     12^ 


/APPLIED  IIVHGE    I, 

1G53   Call   Uoir   SIrmt 

RochMl«r.   Nan   Yorti         U609       US* 

(7t6)   *e2  -  0300  -  Phofw 

(716)  2M-  59B9  -To. 


AMONG  THE  SOURCES  OF  THE  SASKATCHE- 
WAN AND  ATHABASCA  RIVERS. 


MARY  T.  S.  SCHAFFER. 


\ 


Reprinted  tram  THi  BuiLiTiM  or  TH«  Gbookaphical  Soanv  or  Fmiladiuhu, 
Vol.  VI,  No.  1,  April,  1908. 


AMONG    TIIK    SOURCES    OI'    TIIK    SASKATCHEWAN' 
AND   ATHAnASCA   RIVERS. 


Maky  T.  S.  Sciiaffkk. 


Tile  primary  reason  for  writing;  tliis  paper  is.  that  it  may  bear 
its  quota  of  usefulness  to  any  who  may  be  inelineil  to  visit  the 
section  described.  As  to  tlie  location  of  the  ground  covered,  from  a 
glance  at  Dr.  J.  Norman  Collie's  map  which  accompanies  Iiis  book 
— "  Climbs  and  Explorations  in  the  Canadian  Rockies,"  it  will  be 
found  to  be  bfiunded  by  latitudes  51'  25"  to  52'  25",  and  longitudes 
116'  to  118'.  This  is  of  course  a  rough  outline,  but  it  contains  all 
the  tributaries  of  those  two  great  rivers  of  the  nnrth,  which  we 
visited.  Our  greatest  trouble  in  the  spring  of  1907,  was  to  obtain 
information  which  would  be  of  even  the  smallest  use  in  pointing 
out  the  way  over  such  almi:ist  tmdescribed  ground.' 

Dr.  Collie's  book  has  summed  up  the  work  of  himself  and  his 
friends,  with  that  of  previous  workers  in  the  same  field,  i.  c,  the 
section  lying  between  Laggan  and  W'ilco.N  Pass ;  the  Fortress  Lake 
region  and  the  Ilrazeau  country  belong  to  Dr.  Coleman.  As  for  the 
Yellow-head  Pass,  it  is  a  matter  of  rather  ancii.  it  history,  having 
been  described  as  far  back  as  the  dnys  of  Alexander  Henry,  an 
employee  of  the  Northwest  Fur  Trading  Co.,  who  has  left  us  an 
interesting  diary,  which  covers  the  years  between  1799  and  1814. 
The  old  history  of  the  pass  was  of  small  practical  use  to  us  how- 
ever, as  it  was  the  intervening  valleys  between  this  pass  and  the 
Kicking  Horse  Pass  (that  which  the  Canadian  Pacific  uses  to-day), 
which  we  wished  to  explore. 

■  In  spite  of  a  general  knowledge  of  the  subject,  we  were  unable  to  get  at  the 
material,  and  not  until  after  our  return  to  civilization,  were  we  fortunate  enough  to  obtain 
literature  and  maps  which  would  have  been  so  valuable  to  us  in  the  far  wilderness.  One 
who  goes  hence  should  carry  Dr.  Collie's  map.  This  is  easy  to  obtain,  being  published 
with  his  "Climbs  and  Explorations";  Outram's  map  which  n.romp.inics  his  work — "In 
the  Heart  of  the  Canadian  Rockies,"  may  be  of  equal  value;  Dr.  A,  P.  Coleman's 
articles  published  in  the  Royi;!  Gc^rnfliical  Journals,  are  of  great  use;  and  James 
McEvoy's  report  on  the  Government  (icological  Survey  of  that  section  is  a  most 
interesting  pamphlet  to  have.  From  these  few  sources  is  to  be  culled  all  the  practical 
information  that  can  be  found  on  the  country. 

(48) 


■  7        Th*  Sourcts  of  Soskalchtwm  tmd  Alkabatca  Rnnrt 

To  know  that  the  expedition  «u  *  momentout  one  to  thote 
involved  in  its  lucceu,  one  hai  but  to  read  the  w«rningi  of  thoee 
who  have  gone  before.  We  n»y  well  call  it  the  "InhoepitaUc 
Land."  A  well-known  hunting-country,  many  have  gone  into  it* 
fattneMCf ,  only  to  be  driven  out  by  itarvation,  and  the  added  loiTOw 
of  kwt,  starved,  or  drowned  hoTM*.  Dr.  Collie  but  voices  that 
which  may  be  read  between  the  lines  of  all  those  who  have  written 
their  experiences  in  this  country.  He  says :  "  Jean  Mabel's  outfit, 
like  so  many  others,  ran  short  of  provijions  and  the  expedition  had 
to  be  curuiled ;  and  mtich  good  work  of  exploration,  which  might 
otherwise  have  been  accomplished,  was  thereby  prevented.  Some 
day  perhaps,  it  will  be  possible  to  obtain  an  outfit  manned  and 
equipped  with  sufiicient  transport  and  provisions  to  last  out  a  trip 
of  three  or  four  months.  At  present  nobody  seems  to  have  mastered 
the  problem;  and  the  prospect  of  numing  short  of  food  on  the 
journey  remains  the  most  serious  obstacle  to  all  projects  of  extended 
exploration  among  the  mountains."  <  < 

That  we  would  be  tempted  to  dally  day  by  day,  we  well  knew, 
tiwt  the  game  was  becoming,  year  by  year,  more  scarce,  previous 
trips  and  the  hard  experience  of  others  had  warned  us;  and  the 
food  proUem  became  a  very  simple  matter  in  arithmetic.  As  we 
had  hopes  of  reaching  most  of  the  tributaries  of  the  two  rivers 
widiin  the  latitudes  and  longitudes  given  previously  we  reckoned 
food  and  ctothing  for  four  months.  The  season  of  1907  was  an 
oncomroonly  late  one,  and  it  was  not  till  June  30,  that  we  were 
able  to  leave  all  civilization  behind  and  sUrt  for  the  higher  passes. 
The  morning  of  the  twentieth,  was  anything  but  a  t>-pical  Jtme 
day,  and  the  first  twenty  miles  of  the  Bow  trail  were  not  what  one 
might  choose  for  a  pleasure  jaunt.  It  was  qritting  hail  and  snow, 
which  strudc  not  only  our  faces  but  deep  faito  our  souls ;  for  tiiose 
who  had  not  the  spirit  of  the  wilds  surging  in  their  hearU,  had 
prognosticated  all  sorts  of  mishaps,  and  if  one  were  kx)king  for 
"  signs,"  they  were  about  us  in  profusion.  Our  caravan  consisted 
of  deven  horses,  one  running  li^t,  that  in  case  of  chafed  back  or 
acciiknt,  there  would  be  an  extra  one  to  use.  This  will  seem  an 
extravagance  to  many,  but  it  proved  to  be  one  of  the  best  invest- 
ments in  the  entire  outfit,  as  the  appearance  of  our  animals  showed 
on  our  return  to  civilization,  not  a  horse  being  out  of  commission, 
and  every  one  of  them  capable  of  working  four  months  longer. 
(49) 


yary  T.  S.  ScUftr 


iH 


The  Bow  trail  to  the  tummit  of  the  p«u,  U  at  the  preMnt  time, 
rather  »  diicouraging  propoeition,  but  there  if  one  latitfactioa,  h 
ii  one  of  the  poorei»  biU  of  trail  that  i»  to  be  experienced  through- 
out the  entire  trip.  It  wa»  of  cour»e  »t  iu  very  worat  thU  tote 
June  day,  for  the  mountaini  were  rtiU  di'rharging  their  winter 
anowi  into  the  mdced  and  >ver-f>owing  valleyi.  Dr.  Collie't  map, 
compiled  from  the  work  do.  by  himielf,  Wilcox,  Coleman,  Drewry 
and  McArthur,  Noye»  and  .lompun,  wat  our  conaUnt  companion 
in  the  laddle.  It  it  nece«arily  far  from  perfect,  diiUncei  here 
and  there  being  too  long  or  too  Aort,  but  a  very  good  friend  to 
have  at  all  times.  Often  when  the  trail  waa  dim  or  obacuted,  or 
completely  kwt,  have  I  thought  of  and  admired  the  men,  who  with 
only  an  occadorJil  tuggestion  that  the  Indian  hunter  had  been  before 
them,  fought  their  way  through  the  diKouraging  valleyt,  found  • 
pasiage  •romd  impassaMe  gorges,  and"  eventually  retched  the  higher 
pejci  of  the  Rocky  Range. 

The  upper  Bow  Lake*  and  Bow  Paa»  were  the  first  plunge  into 
fine  Kener>-.  If  one  may  go  no  further,  this  is  a  trip  worth  taking. 
At  the  summit,  where  the  spruces  remind  one  of  a  great  natural 
park,  a  short  detour  to  the  left  leads  over  easy  slopes  to  the  clilh 
which  overhang  Peyto  Lake,  the  watera  of  which  are  the  out- 
pourings of  the  WapU  neve.  It  is  the  first  glimpae  of  the  Sas- 
katchewan country. 

Here  at  our  feet  Bear  Creek  (on  some  maps  Mistaya  (Bear)  bat 
never  locally  so-called)  has  its  rise,  flows  north,  Ups  the  beautiful 
lakes  known  as  the  Waterfowl,  goes  rippling,  and  gurgling,  and 
dancing  along  in  happy  oblivion  to  the  superb  panorama  on  bo«h 
shores— Howse  Peak,  the  sUtely  Pyramid,  the  frownirg  Bungatow, 
and  lastly  Murchiaon,  kising  iU  final  identity  in  the  turbid  Sas- 
katchewan at  the  base  of  that  great,  wandering,  outspread,  pile  of 
crags— Mt.  Wilsc  i  The  days  on  Bear  Creek  grew  hotter  and 
hotter.  We  hurried  akmg  as  fast  as  our  heavily  loaded  horses 
would  permit,  knowing  t>»t  each  hour  was  adding  inches  to  ditt 
angry,  impetuous  ri  °er  and  anxious  to  reach  the  other  side  before 
we  bad  to  swim  foi  it.  At  4  p.  m.,  on  June  25,  we  had  crossed 
Bear  Creek  at  ito  month  (no  easy  matter  wher  he  water  is  high, 
for  the  river-bed  is  covered  with  huge  bowlders)  and  faced  the 
first  serious  proposition — crossing  the  Saskatchewan  River.  An 
excellent  ford  across  the  North  Fork  may  be  fonnd  about  one  mik 
'50) 


'y 


Till!  Sources  nf  SajltUiheuaii  and  .llliabasca  Kixcrs 


«<■<.(  of  ll<ar  Criek,  anil  wc  hitc  in  llic  nick  of  time,  twiiitv-foiir 
hours  latir  Hiiulil  have  meant  jwinmiinj;. 

With  min<ls  at  rest.  \vc  canip<'(l  that  nijjht  on  a  hi({h  hhifT  ovor- 
lixjkin),'  the  North  I'ork ;  hchinil  us  rose  tlie  high  walls  i,i'  Mt. 
Wilson,  while  Mnrchison,  Sarbaeh,  rVramid,  an<l  the  Freshfieldn 
died  away  in  rosy,  then  purpliuR  shadows ;  niRht  came  down,  and 
»c  realized  at  last  our  utter  isolation.  The  dcKir  was  closed  for 
many  davs  to  come  to  other  conipanionsliip  and  the  situation  was 
saved  from  a  sense  of  loneliness  only  hy  nur  minds  beinfr  devoted 
absolutely  to  the  destruction  of  mosquitoes,  an  occupation  which 
lasted  for  several  weeks.  Trom  Hear  Creek  to  Wilcox  I'ass  the 
scenery  is  a  succession  of  beautiful  pictures.  About  ten  miles  from 
the  summit  of  the  pass,  the  trail  leaves  the  shinRle-flats  of  the 
river  and  mounts  a  Iour  and  arduous  hill,  eventually  rcacliinR  a 
point  about  looo  feet  above  the  valley,  where  the  timber  bein^;  scarce, 
the  views  of  the  receding  and  on-coming  peaks  are  wonderfullv 
fine.  .About  three  miles  below  "Camp  Parker"  fan  easily  recoK- 
nized  camp-Rround  at  thi-  junction  of  Xit;el  Creek  and  the  .Vortli 
Fork),  the  now  fast-dimi  lishinj;  river  makes  a  deep  plunRe.  form- 
ing  what  we  have  called  '  Tanther  Falls."  .Soon  after  passing  the 
falls,  Mt.  .Athabasca  comes  into  sight  on  the  left:  being  ii,<kx)  feet 
high,  and  snow-clad,  it  is  a  joy  even  to  eyes  now  so  used  to  momi- 
tains.  From  "  Camp  Parker  "  to  the  main  pass  is  about  five  miles, 
but  a  canyon  beyond  it  being  said  to  make  that  way  impracticable, 
the  trail  to  the  true  pass  on  the  right,  is  a  little  hard  to  find.  There 
is  an  old  and  much  used  camp  among  the  spruces  on  the  high 
meadows,  called  "  Camp  Expectation."  Reaching  this,  the  forest 
is  skirted  for  a  quarter  of  a  mile,  when  a  pebbly  river-bed  is  reached ; 
this  is  followed  up  for  a  short  distance  when  a  good  trail  to  the 
pass  is  struck.  This  hidden  trail  is  well  worth  a  search,  any  other 
route  is  a  hard  grind  for  the  horses. 

The  pass  itself  is  long,  heavy,  ugly  travelling;  if  the  day  be 
cloudy,  it  could  not  be  more  uninteresting,  but  being  7800  feet 
high,  there  is  a  fine  view  of  ilt.  Athabasca  to  the  southwest,  while 
to  the  north  is  seen  the  group  of  mountains  climbed  and  named  by 
Dr.  Collie  and  his  part)'. 

The  first  drop  on  the  north  side  of  the  pass,  is  a  long  sharp 
hill,  where  a  well-marked  trail  leads  to  "  Sheep  Camp,"  a  name 
well-known  to  hunters.     By  this  camp  rims  a  beautiful  stream  liead- 
(50 


^' 


'^^ 


Mtiry  T.  S.  Sclhilh-r  :„ 

me  from  Wil,-  \  l'.is«.  wliicli  hi-  alliTH.ird  iiaiiuil  •  Tancli'  triTk." 
Here  tlio  trail  ili-iapptMrs  :is  tlioiiKli  it  lii.l  ilrii|i|i(l  into  tin-  lartli. 
It  may  hi'lp  Sdiiii.-  future  travillor  lo  know  that  if  \k  will  i  I's  this 
cri'i'k  at  tilt  camp,  iH-ar  well  In  tlii'  lift  in  llu-  fiirc«t,  lie  will  siwn 
cnmc  tiixm  a  very  (;<ki(I  trail,  wliioli  (|iiii-kly  Uiul-  to  the  Sii  Wapta 
ill  the  valley  below.  I.itlle  Taiiitle  I  reek  ailileil  (|iiile  a  volume  lo 
the  main  river  (an  important  branch  of  the  .Vthaliasca ),  anil  with  its 
wide  sliin(;le-llats  and  ^'tiardlan  nioniitains  on  l>oth  .sides.  Imro  a 
stron;;  resemblance  to  tlic  Saskatcliewan  tributaries. 

I'nlike  tile  Saskatchewan  reRion,  however,  horse- feeil  here  is 
limited  an<l  camp-p;rounds  conse(|uently  scarce.  The  first  po.ssible 
stopping-place  is  at  least  two  miles  txlow  the  main  -Su  Wapla  canvon. 
and  on  the  left  .side  of  the  river.  lAeii  that  is  a  very  poor  place, 
bein^;  but  a  small  slounb.  with  scarce  feed  enoufih  for  a  dozen 
horses  for  one  night.  The  next  feeding  place  is  found  in  the 
quick-sand  bolt,  five  to  seven  miles  further  down  the  river.  This 
does  not  .sound  attractive  for  the  horses,  but  unless  it  Ik-  earlv 
spring,  there  is  little  -langer.  This  uick-.sand  is  not  a  pleasing 
problem  :  it  extends  ilown  the  river  least  three  miles,  and  theie 
lieiiig  no  way  to  go  round,  it  must  be  traversed.  I'.eyond  it,  and 
just  north  of  the  creek  marked  "  Jonas  "  on  the  m.ap,  a  large  rock- 
slide  of  recent  origin,  gave  us  our  ne.\t  l)it  of  siud^  It  was  soon 
navigated  however  by  plowing  through  the  niuski  .  )ii  the  wes: 
side  of  the  river  for  at  least  four  huntlred  yards,  «:.en  we  struck 
dry  ground  and  a  bit  of  a  trail,  and  "  going  "  was  easv  again. 
Beyond  the  rock-slide,  Jonas  Creek  emptied  its  clear  waters  into 
the  muddy  .Su  Wapta,  while  a  little  further  on,  and  flowing  in  3 
parallel  direction,  I'oliokton  (  reck  appeared  from  .-imidst  the  thick, 
green  forest.  Dr.  Coleman,  who  named  both  creeks,  told  us  later, 
that  the  names  bad  been  transposed  on  Collie's  map,  but  fr>r  fear 
of  still  further  misundcrsianding — we  let  them  alone.  licvond 
Polmkton  (Owl)  Creek,  a  long,  rather  low,  rocky  range  marks  thc 
course  of  the  main  river  for  miles.  I-"or  a  day  and  a  half  we 
followed  it  in  all  its  tiresomeness.  Reaching  the  iunction  of  the 
Su  Wapta  and  the  Athabasca,  and  seeing  that  it  still  continued  in 
more  or  less  broken  form  on  down  the  .\tlial)asca  valley,  wc  dubbed 
it  "  the  Endless  Chain." 

The  .\thabasca  at  this  iunction,  gave  us  no  such  impression  of 
might  and  strength  as  the  Saskatchewan  at  an  equal  <listance  from 


31         Tin-  Sources  of  SaskatJidivn  and  Athabasca  Rivers 

its  source,  the  great  ice-fields  of  the  Columbia  and  surrounding 
peaks  evidently  contributed  much  more  largely  to  the  southern  river. 

The  Athabasca,  at  its  source,  is  divided  into  three  streams,  and 
till  they  are  reached  at  their  junction,  almost  all  scenic  beauty  is 
at  a  standstill.  Not  so  the  moS4uitoes,  deer-flies,  bull-dogs,  and 
caribou-flies ;  they  were  there  by  the  millions  to  torment  man  and 
beast ;  but  not  even  they  could  deter  us  from  a  dt jire  to  see  Fortress 
Lake,  discovered  and  named  by  Dr.  Coleman  in  1893,  visited  by 
Wilcox  in  i8g6,  and  Habel  in  1901. 

In  my  diary  I  find  this  entry,  "  July  10,  Indian  Camp  (our 
camps  were  all  named  to  avoid  confusion).  The  mosquitoes  have 
shrieked  and  buzzed  all  night  about  our  heads.  If  the  number 
increases  in  direct  ratio  to  the  number  jf  miles  we  go,  at  Fortress 
Lake  we  will  be  breathing  and  eating  the  pests."  The  words  proved 
later  to  be  almost  a  prophecy,  though  it  was  a  matter  of  flics,  not 
mosquitoes.  While  visiting  the  Soutli  or  Columbia  branch  of  the 
Athabasca,  we  were  surrounded  and  overwhelmed,  one  evening  at 
supper,  by  thousands  of  tiny  flies,  which  though  tlioy  did  not  bite, 
clung  in  clouds  about  us,  drowned  in  our  tea.  became  hopelessly 
entangled  in  the  butter,  died  by  hundreds  in  the  apple-sauce,  flew 
into  ears,  eyes,  and  nostrils,  till  we  were  distracted. 

Having  crossed  the  southeast  branch  of  the  Athabasca,  wc  con- 
tinued along  the  southwest  branch,  which  Coleman  has  named  the 
Chaba  (beaver).  Here  we  found  a  paradise  for  the  horses,  and 
made  camp  under  the  shadow  of  a  noble  crag,  which  proved  later 
to  be  Fortress  Mountain,  and  for  which  the  lake  was  named.  The 
lake  being  still  an  unknown  quantity,  the  following  day  we  made  the 
ascent  of  a  mountain  (Mt.  Quincy)  opposite  the  Fortress  and  after 
a  long,  hot,  weary  scramble,  Fortress  Lake  burst  upoi  our  sight. 
lying  like  an  excjuisite  bluc-grcen  ribbon  among  the  spruce-grown 
valleys  below.  It  is  about  nine  miles  long,  with  an  imposing  moun- 
tain heavily  covered  with  snow,  rising  at  the  far  end.  Habel  has 
called  it  Mt.  Blanc,  while  Wilcox  seems  to  think  it  the  long-lost 
Hooker. 

Heavy  thunder-showers  prevented  any  photography  worth  men- 
tioning, and  we  returned  to  camp  to  move  our  belongings  to  the 
shores  of  the  lake.  Beautiful  as  the  lake  in  its  exquisite  setting 
is,  it  is  no  place  for  a  permanent  camp.  The  eastern  end  of  the 
lake  is  a  marsh,  while  the  north  and  south  shores  are  impenetrable 
(53) 


Mary  T.  S.  Schaffer  2j 

owing  to  the  dense  forests  and  undergrowth.  A  raft  was  tlie  only 
practical  solution  for  reaching  the  western  terminus  and  main  out- 
let of  the  lake,  and  that  was  out  of  the  question  for  us,  as  we  had 
nothing  with  us  but  our  valuable  lash-ropes.  Consequently  we  con- 
tented ourselves  with  a  trip  on  our  horses  to  the  end  of  the  Chaba 
valley,  which  proved  to  be  about  five  miles  long.  Two  miles  south 
of  the  lake  a  stream  joins  the  Chaba  from  the  southeast  and  seems 
longer  than  the  Chaba.  The  end  of  the  Chaba  valley  is  blocked 
by  two  tine  glacier-tongues  heavily  covered  with  debris ;  a  huge 
avalanche,  30  or  40  feet  thick,  choked  the  narrow  gorge  one  half 
mile  from  the  extreme  end,  on  our  visit  in  \qoy  (Mabel  mentions 
the  same  in  1901)  while  beautiful  water- falls  on  our  right  fell  hun- 
dreds of  feet  from  the  precipices  looming  far  above  our  heads. 

Ileautiful  as  Fortress  Lake  and  her  surrounding  crags  were,  we 
were  glad  to  say  "  good-bye  "  after  thirty-six  hours  on  her  oozing 
inhospitable  shores  and  turn  our  faces  toward  the  more  southeasterly 
branch  of  the  .Athabasca.  To  this  stream  we  were  particularly 
tempted  by  having  seen  from  a  distance,  an  uncommonly  fine  pyram- 
idal, snow-capped  peak,  which  we  later  decided  could  be  no  other 
than  Collie's  Mt.  Columbia.  Habel,  who  is  the  only  other  white 
person  to  have  entered  this  valley  so  far  as  is  known,  records  it 
in  a  short  paper  in  Apticilacliia  as  "  Gamma,"  and  has  reproduced 
with  it  a  most  striking  picture.  To  the  northeast  of  Columbia,  a 
long  spur  juts  out  from  that  mountain,  which  \vc  called  "  Edward 
the  Seventh."  The  a.spcct  of  this  valley  is  totally  difl^erent  from 
that  of  the  Chaba.  It  is  about  25  miles  in  length ;  the  stream  at 
the  junction  of  the  two  rivers  seems  to  be  about  one  half  the  size 
it  is  twelve  miles  nearer  its  source  (bespeaking  an  underground 
passage),  while  nniskegs  and  bottomless  mountain  streams  make 
the  travelling  wearisome  for  at  least  fifteen  miles.  The  last  day's 
ride  was  one  of  unconunon  impressiveness,  and  I  quote  from  my 
diary.  "August  i.  To-day  the  hill-sides  on  both  right  and  left, 
were  wooded  to  the  base  with  rich,  deep-green  spruces,  mountain- 
torrents  like  snowy  threads  peeped  from  amidst  the  foliage  and  the 
tumbling  waters  sent  forth  a  nnisic  not  to  be  surpassed.  The  thud 
of  the  horses'  feet,  the  rushing  of  the  glaciated  river,  and  all  else 
was  silent.  Columbia,  which  Collie  reckons  as  12,000  feet,  loomed 
in  pyramidal  majesty  at  the  end  of  the  valley,  while  high  surround- 
ing peaks  came  and  went  as  we  crept  along  among  the  lower  hills. 
(54) 


J3         The  Sources  of  Saskalchewcm  and  Athabasca  Rivers 


Alberta,  Wooley,  Stutfield,  Diadem,  and  other  mountains  figured 
in  our  names  for  the  unknown  summits,  but  our  point  of  observa- 
tion was  far  tri.  low,  to  be  at  all  certain  of  any  of  them.  Caribou 
tracks  grew  more  and  more  numerous ;  here  and  there  teepee-poles 
on  the  open  hill-sides  bespoke  the  some-time  presence  of  the  Indian 
hunter.  With  no  timber-work  to  impede  our  progress,  we  rapidly 
iieared  the  base  of  Mt.  Columbia.  Our  course  lay  across  the  wide 
shingle-flats,  which  then,  at  low  water,  was  a  garden  of  the  pink 
Epilobium  {Chamocnerion  latifolium)  and  here  and  there  silvery 
cascades  fell  hundreds  of  feet  down  sheer  cliffs." 

About  two  miles  north  of  Mt.  Columbia,  a  much  longer  stream 
oomes  in  from  the  west;  this  we  explored  the  next  day,  but  as 
usual,  the  clouds  came  down  and  oblii<;rated  everything  of  interest. 
.Apparently  there  is  a  high  mountain  at  the  far  end,  and  a  glacier 
flowing  from  it,  seems  worthy  of  study.  Having  in  our  ignorance, 
dragged  our  horses  to  the  base  of  Mt.  Columbia,  we  quickly  saw 
we  must  drag  them  away  again  on  account  of  feed,  so  retired  to 
two  small  islands  four  miles  down  the  river,  where  a  limited  anioimt 
of  slou.th-grass  was  found  on  the  river's  left.  Throughout  the 
entire  Athabasca  region  this  problem  of  feed  was  almost  as  serious 
as  the  rivers  themselves.  After  waiting  three  days,  we  never  got 
any  particularly  fine  pictures  of  that  wonderful  mountain,  being 
at  all  times  either  surrounded  by  clouds,  or  else  steeped  in  flat 
sunshine. 

From  the  Columbia  Branch,  we  now  traced  our  way  back  to  the 
main  Athabasca,  and  from  there  to  the  Su  Wapta,  where  we  went 
in  search  of  the  Su  Wapta  Gorge.  We  found  it  within  a  mile  of 
the  mouth,  and  though  the  whole  country  is  a  counfy  of  gorges, 
this  (  is  uncommonly  fine.  The  walls  are  probably  150  feet  high, 
the  water  makes  a  plunge  of  50  feet  at  the  upper  end,  tiien  rushes 
s  ■cthing  and  boiling  through  a  deep  elbow-shaped  cut.  Some  one 
has  hewn  and  thrown  three  trees  across  the  narrowest  part  of  the 
gorge  (perhaps  20  feet  wide),  and  cut  on  a  near-by  tree  the  faceti- 
ous notice,  "  Xo  toll  charged  on  this  bridge."  We  had  intended  our 
next  stopping-place  to  be  Diadem  Creek,  where  we  hoped  to  climb 
and  locate  the  peaks  named  by  Collie's  party  in  that  section.  This 
was  however  impossible  as  there  was  not  a  sign  of  horse-feed,  and 
we  were  compelled  to  move  on  up  the  river  for  two  miles  where 
we  went  into  camp  fur  a  couple  of  days.  Here  we  ascended  a  creek 
(55)  ' 


I 


Mary  T.  S.  Schaffcr 


=4 


to  the  fine  (jlacier  at  its  source,  climbed  a  low  mountain  on  the 
creek's  left  (about  9000  feet),  and  were  tmdoubtedly  in  the  midst 
of  Wooley,  Stutfield  and  Diadem,  hut  which  was  which,  it  was  hard 
to  say  with  the  Hmited  description  given  by  their  sponsors.  On  Au- 
gust 16.  we  climbed  Peak  Wilcox  (10.050  feet),  and  should  have 
had  an  interesting  view  of  the  country  we  had  j'tst  come  from,  and 
others  to  which  we  were  bound — but  for  the  usual  clouds. 

On  August  17,  wc  were  camped  at  7000  feet,  just  below  Wilcox 
Pass.  The  morning  opened  with  a  regular,  old-fashioned  snow- 
storm, and  the  arrival  at  our  tent-door  of  a  total  stranger  before 
any  one  was  awake.  It  was  a  queer  sensation,  looking  out  from 
one's  sleeping-bag  and  seeing  a  man  when  there  was  no  cause  to 
think  that  such  an  object  save  our  own  guides  were  within  a  hundred 
miles  of  us.  It  proved  to  be  Dr.  Coleman's  party.  Dr.  Coleman  who 
had  threaded  the  by-ways  of  so  much  of  this  country  through  which 
we  had  just  been,  and  of  whom  we  had  spnkcn  .w>  often  while  in 
the  mazes  of  the  Athabasca  sources. 

It  proved  a  pleasant  meeting  in  spite  of  driving  snows,  and  we 
parted — they  for  the  Y'  'low-head  Pass  and  wc  for  the  West  Hranch 
and  the  i'.razeau  country.  "The  Wer.t-I!ranch-of-thc-\orth-Fork- 
of-the- Saskatchewan !  "  The  most  beautiftil  valley  of  all  those  we 
visited,  and  to  go  by  such  a  name !  May  it  some  day  receive  its 
due ;  certain  it  is.  it  I'.as  not  had  it  yet.  It  is  essentially  a  valley  of 
tumbling  cascades  and  deep  gorges,  of  muskegs  and  sloughs  at 
its  mouth,  and  shingle-flats  at  its  source,  with  few  good  camp- 
grounds except  on  the  pass.  It  runs  in  a  straight  line  for  alrout 
fifteen  miles,  when  Mts.  .-Mexandra,  Gable  and  I.ycll,  with  their 
snowy  glaciers  block  the  way.  Here  at  right  angles,  another  stream 
comes  in  direct  from  Thompson  Pass  and  the  Columbia  ice-fie'ds, 
about  fifteen  miles  distant.  To  avoid  the  hard  travelling  which 
following  the  river  involves,  those  who  may  follow  in  the  future 
will  find  a  hunter's  shack  about  five  miles  east  of  the  base  of  Gable 
Peak,  on  the  river's  left.  Fifty  yards  to  the  cast  of  it.  they  will  strike 
into  the  mountain  and  there  come  upon  a  fairly  good  trail  winding 
over  the  shoulder  of  the  hill.  Xo  packs  had  ever  been  to  the  summit 
of  the  Tliompson  Pass  before,  and  it  took  some  careful  work  to 
get  the  loaded  animals  up  and  around  the  rock  ridges  which  balked 
us  every  few  yards.  What  a  camp  that  was  by  the  calm,  deep-green 
lake,  which  lies  at  the  foot  of  Outram's  Watchman's  Peak!  Not 
(56) 


25         The  Sources  of  Saskatchewan  and  Athabasca  Rivers 


even  the  sipfn  of  the  indefatigable  Indian  hunter  was  visible,  only 
the  little  people  of  the  wilderness,  whose  trails  were  everywhere. 
We  drank  from  the  clear,  cold  waters,  and  named  it  "  Nashan-c^en  " 
— Stoney  for  "  Wolverine-go-quick,"  our  friend  the  hunter — 
Simpson. 

We  found  the  task  of  taking  the  horses  to  the  summit  of  Thomp- 
son Pass  a  much  easier  one  than  we  had  first  hoped.  It  is  very 
steep  in  places,  but  the  rock  ridges,  running  transversely  to  the 
valley,  made  good  shelves  for  footing.  A  good  camp  ground  will 
be  found  a  few  hundred  feet  below  the  6800  foot  summit,  on  the 
lake  shore.  A  low  spur  of  Mt.  Bryce,  altitude  about  <)ooo  feet, 
gave  us  that  which  we  had  come  .so  far  to  see,  a  view  of  the  great 
Columbia  ice-fields.  Stretching  for  thirty  miles  to  the  north,  the 
sight  was  one  never  to  be  forgotten !  So  cold,  so  still,  so  silent  and 
haughty  in  their  supreme,  icy  beauty,  they  well  repaid  for  all  the 
hardships  of  reaching  them.  Outrain  says  they  contain  at  least 
200  square  miles,  and  it  can  well  be  believed,  from  our  point  of 
vantage  there  seemed  no  limit  to  the  billows  and  billows  of  ice.  It 
was  a  grand  marshaling  of  the  monarchs.  We  stood  in  the  heart 
of  the  highest  which  the  Rocky  range  has  to  give  to  those  who  love 
the  hills;  and  at  last  I  was  willing  to  admit,  that  in  spite  of  the 
drudgery  and  fatigue,  there  is  a  fascination  in  reaching  the  "  top." 
The  nipping  winds  however,  stiffened  our  enthusiasm  for  even  that 
wonderful  sight ;  so  with  a  brisk  run  down  the  sliding  scree,  a  plunge 
through  the  low  scrub,  a  few  tumbles  over  'he  rocks,  we  were  back 
at  Nashan-esen  Camp,  and  a  delicious  supper  of  bacon  and  beans. 

As  we  emerged  from  the  wonderful  valley,  in  a  downpour  of 
rain,  we  christened  it  "  Nashan-esen,"  hoping  that  "  West-Branch- 
of-the-\orth-Fork  "  might  some  day  be  forgotten. 

September  5,  saw  us  heading  for  Nigel  Pass  and  the  Brazeau 
country.  The  trail  lies  on  the  river's  left,  and  at  the  summit,  it  will 
be  found  to  wind  among  the  rocks  on  the  south  side  of  the  pass. 
When  once  found,  the  way  proved  perfectly  easy  going,  hiving  no 
doubt  been  a  very  old  Indian  trail. 

On  the  far  side  of  the  pass,  one  branch  of  the  Brazeau  has  its 
rise ;  this  branch  we  followed  for  about  30  miles  to  the  Brazeau 
Lake,  keeping  on  the  river's  left  for  the  first  ten  miles,  when  what 
there  is  of  trail,  crosses  to  the  right  side,  and  eventually  si-rmounts 
a  long,  hillv  shoulder  and  drops  down  to  the  main  river. 
(57) 


1 


-:'. 


-Ji 


Mary  T.  S.  Scluiffcr  =fi 

Brazeau  Lake  is  a  beautiful,  aquamarine  sheet  of  water  about 
six  miles  long,  whose  low  surroundinp;  mountains,  on  that  sunn\ 
morning  of  our  introduction  to  it,  wre  exquisitely  reflected  in  its 
mirrored  surface.    We  found  a  well-marked  trail  on  its  eastern 
shore,  and  every  indication  that  it  had  long  been  a  favorite  hunting- 
ground  of  the  Indians.     Pushing  on  by  an  old  and  ideal  camp- 
ground at  the  lower  end  of  the  lake,  we  camped  that  night  at  its 
northern  extremity.     Beyond  the  lake  the  valley  extends  for  fully 
twelve  miles.    At  its  extreme  limit  rises  a  fine  peak,  which  Cole- 
man has  called  Mt.  Brazeau,  and  though  unclimbcd.  be  reckons  it 
at  11,000  feet  or  over.    Tempted  by  an  old  but  very  good  Indian 
trail,  we  followed  it  the  next  day.  to  the  very  limit  of  horse  climb- 
ing, or  close  on  to  Qooo   feet,  and   readied   as  drearv  an  alpine 
view  as  I  ever  saw.     There  was  but  one  event  to  redeem  and  justify 
the  expedition.     The  snow  lay  deep,  even  below  tree-line,  the  ic.\ 
winds  whistled  through  the  spruces,  and  shrieked  past  the  bare 
rock  ridges,  and  the  low-hanging  clouds  obscured  the  higher  and 
distant  peaks.     .At  last  even  the  dying  alpine  flowers  were  left  be- 
hind, and  we  crossed  a  rocky  ridge  to  meet  a  band  of  mountain 
sheep.     Surprised  at  our  sudden  coming,  in  the  twinkling  of  an 
eye,  they  had  scaled  impossible  cliffs  covered  with   ice,  and  were 
gazing  down  upon  us  from  1000  feet  above.     The  brave  old  ram 
his  head  accentuated  with  a  pair  of  magnificent  horns,  never  flinched 
from  his  post,  or  removed  his  eye   from  the  enemy,  till  in  oui 
descent,  the  lower  jutting  rocks  hid  us  from  view.     Returning  up  tlu 
Brazeau  River,  we  took  a  side  trip  to  Jonas  Pass,  the  stream  from 
which  flows  into  the  Brazeau  about  five  miles  from  N'igel  Pass 
This  pass  was  tried  by  a  white  man  in  1893,  Dr.  Coleman,  when 
finding  his  way  to  the  Yellowhead  Pass ;  and  excepting  one  hunter, 
I  have  heard  of  no  one  using  it  since.     In  many  ways  it  is  an 
improvement  on  the  Wilcox  Pass  by  which  to  reach  the  Athabasca^ 
avoiding  much  that  is  disagreeable  on  the  Su  Wapta.     To  us  at 
this  late   season  of  the  year,  it  had  no  "  tourist "  charms.     The 
summit  of  the  pass  was  burdened  with  two,  three,  and  even  foui 
feet  of  snow,  which  with  the  hard  work  on  the  horses,  the  brilliant 
glare  on  unprotected  eyes  from  the  snow,  and  the  cutting,  driving 
wind  lashing  our  faces,  seemed  endless.    A  fine,  solitary  black  bear, 
out  for  any  belated  berries,  he  might  find  beneath  the  snow,  was  the 
(58) 


J?         The  Sources  of  Sa.'kalchcu-an  and  Athabasca  Ritcrs 

only  bit  of  life  to  greet  us  on  the  great  white  silent  stretch  of 
loneliness. 

September  21  saw  us  anxiously  scanning  the  clouds  and  a  rift 
in  the  hills  to  the  south  of  us,  from  our  camp  on  the  Bra/cau.  We 
were  to  try  still  another  new  pass,  the  Cataract,  and  this  also  almost 
Hiiknown  except  to  Coleman.  Being  but  .-?oo  feet  lower  than  "  Jonas," 
<"■  755°  feet  high,  we  had  little  to  expect  in  the  way  of  an  open 
trail.  It  proved  to  be  quite  all  that  we  could  ask  to  get  our  horses 
through,  and  was  even  more  tedious  than  "Jonas."  The  Indian 
trail  through  the  forest  is  well  marked,  and  had  there  been  no  snow, 
we  might  have  found  such  a  trail  as  that  which  goes  over  Nigel 
Pass;  as  it  was,  it  was  one  long  hard  grind  through  fine,  fluffy 
snow,  which  allowed  the  horses  to  sink  almost  to  the  rocks  beneath, 
plunge  forward,  and  sink  again. 

The  south  side  of  the  pass  is  excessively  tedious,  as  much  of  the 
way  is  avalanche-swept,  and  the  apology  for  a  trail  is  constantlv 
blocked  by  fallen  timbers.  From  the  summit  of  the  Pass  to  Pinto 
Lake  is  about  fifteen  miles.  Here,  owing  to  a  pair  of  snow-blind 
eyes,  we  were  forced  to  remain  over  a  day ;  and  as  provisions  were 
getting  low,  the  guides  reinforced  by  three  of  the  strongest  horses, 
pack-saddles,  and  ropes,  crossed  Pinto  Pass  to  the  junction  of  the 
Xorth  Fork  and  Nashan-esen  Rivers,  and  returned  that  night  with 
the  food  we  had  cached  at  that  point.  It  was  only  a  matter  of  thirty 
miles,  but  it  was  over  a  pass  which  even  Dr.  Coleman  gave  up 
attempting  with  horses  after  investigating  it  for  that  purpose. 

We  had  traversed  it  the  year  before  from  the  west  to  the  east, 
but  that  was  a  different  undertaking  from  this  expedition,  when  the 
men  were  compelled  to  cut  steps  in  the  ice  near  the  summit  to  enable 
the  animals  to  get  any  foot-hold  at  all.  Pinto  Lake  has  long  been 
a  favorite  fishing-ground  for  the  Stoney  Indians;  they  had  just 
made  a  visitation  to  those  waters,  and  as  Indians  always  do,  had 
cleaned  out  every  fish  that  would  rise  to  bait. 

From  Pii  o  Lake  to  the  Kootenai  Plains  the  trail  follows  Cata- 
ract Creek.  It  is  a  distance  of  about  twenty-five  miles  to  its 
junction  with  the  main  river,  more  or  less  uninteresting,  and  fire- 
swept  from  end  to  end.  In  the  late  fall  the  Saskatchewan  is 
et  y  enough  to  ford  where  it  divides  into  several  channels  near 
the  base  of  the  Sentinel  Mountain.  On  the  golden  Kootenai  Plains 
we  rested  and  dallied  among  the  Indians  for  a  few  days,  then 
(59) 


Gahi.e  AM)  Alexamira  CiI.acif.rs  in  \ashan-esrn   \'.' 


I 


"Mummery"  ox  Baker  Pass. 


Mary  T.  S.  Siltufffr 


JS 


I 


hurried  to  the  junction  of  licar  treek  aiul  the  Sr.skatclicH.nn.  crossed 
that  river  and  ascended  the  \ortli  Fork  in  searcli  of  a  valley,  wliich 
Outram  mentions  on  liis  map.  "  Thc-\'alley-of-the-I.akes."  The 
entrance  to  this  valley  is  quite  nine  miles  from  the  mouth  of  the 
North  Fork.  At  low  water,  a  ford  may  be  easily  made  opposite 
the  rift  in  the  hills,  but  at  high  water,  can  onlv  b^  reached  by 
crossing  belosv  on  the  main  stream  and  followinB  the  west  shore  of 
the  river.  The  trip  though  short,  was  an  arduous  one.  and  almost 
devoid  of  real  interest.  We  found  a  very  a  icnt  Indian  trail, 
which  needed  much  circumnavigating  and  cutting,  to  get  even  our 
now  depleted  packs  through;  the  growth  was  very  heavy  and  the 
way  consequently  dark  and  gloomy.  By  a  brawling,  noisy  little 
river,  we  made  the  only  camp  where  a  sign  of  feed  seemed  possible 
for  the  tired  horses,  and  that  in  the  midst  of  fallen  timbers  on  the 
avalanche-swept  hill-sides.  Outram  describes  this  valley  as  he  saw 
it  from  the  summit  of  Mt.  Lycll,  11,500  feet  below  him;  we  saw  it 
at  8000  feet,  where  we  climbed  the  following  day,  the  sun  beating 
down  upon  us,  and  the  surrounding  clouds  so  low  tliat  I-yell  and 
everything  else  interesting  was  utterly  obscured.  The  lovely  lakes 
were  only  sloughs  after  all  and  the  chief  joy  of  the  trip  proved  to 
be  that  we  had  been  the  first  travellers  to  break  the  sixll  of  silence 
in  that  lonely  cleft  of  the  hills.  It  had  been  many  \cars  since  an 
Indian  had  been  there,  and  the  only  other  sign  of  life,  was  the  blow 
of  the  axe  from  a  solitary  white  hunter  who  had  passed  in  the  dead 
of  winter.  It  was  now  October  5.  and  Howse  and  Baker  Passes, 
our  return  route,  quite  unknown.  Up  the  Middle  Fork  and  to  the 
Howse  Pass,  was  like  reading  ancient  history.  One  hundred  and 
fiftv  years  ago.  the  Indians  from  the  Kootenai  country  took  this 
portion  of  the  trail  on  their  journey  to  the  Saskatchewan  Plains 
(hence  the  name  Kootenai  Plains),  to  trade  with  Kline  of  Jasper 
House.  As  far  as  Howse  Pass,  it  was  delightful  trailing;  being  but 
4800  feet,  we  were  on  and  over  almost  before  we  knew,  and  soon 
tumbling  down  beside  the  merry,  chattering  Blaeberry  River.  The 
instant  Howse  Pass  is  crossed,  the  character  of  the  vegetation 
changes,  and  the  trail  becomes  impeded  with  heavy  fallen  timber 
and  an  almost  tropical  undergrowth.  Government  surveyors  had 
preceded  us  in  the  fall  of  1907,  and  though  the  way  was  not  a  bed 
of  roses,  miles  and  miles  of  fatiguing  work  had  been  saved  our  men 
as  far  as  the  "  Hunter's  Cabin." 

(60) 


") 


I  lie  .S'iKOii'.t  11/  Sankiililii'uuii  11111/  Alhabasca  Rivtrs 


Oil  Or.  t'i)ll  c's  map.  ono  has  but  to  follow  a  plain  red  line,  which 
liirn»  to  the  left  of  the  "Cabin";  and  the  Raker  Pass  seems  the 
easiest  thinf;  imaginable.  In  reality,  the  niacberry  is  followed  for 
two  miles  further  after  passinR  the  scconil  cabin  (we  never  saw 
the  first  one),  when  the  trail  turns  sharply  to  the  left  and  winds 
up  a  hill-side.  This  emerges  shortly  on  a  very  bowUlery  river-bed. 
which  is  to  be  crossed  nt  the  traveller's  discretion,  when  Haker 
Pass  with  its  trials  and  li  tions  begins.     Again  I  quote  from  my 

diary.  "  Quite  ignorant  of  distances  by  this  time,  our  horses  having 
had  but  little  feed  for  the  last  three  days,  and  having  already  ccnne 
ten  miles  since  morning,  we  with  only  our  saddlc-aiiinia!s  pushed 
ahead  with  the  injunction  to  stop  for  camp  at  the  first  sign  of  grass." 
It  was  quite  nnon.  and  we  hurried  along.  The  trail  lay  over  a  steep 
moss-c  »vcrcd  slope,  so  steep  there  was  no  thought  of  riding :  so 
steep,  that  place  after  place  the  horses  would  spring  one  and  two 
feet  to  reach  a  bench  above ;  so  steep  and  continuous,  that  they  were 
forced  to  cling  to  the  hill-sides  while  resting. 

Pack  and  saddle-horses  were  all  soon  in  a  ilrlppiiig  perspiration. 
Occasioi.ally  a  call  would  come  from  behind.  "  Is  there  au\'  end  to 
it?"  There  seemed  none.  The  'vay  was  clear  and  well  blazed, 
we  must  be  on  the  trail  and  on  we  climbed — climbed  .ill  we  reached 
timber-line  at  five  o'clock.  Not  a  mouthful  of  feed  had  we  passed 
since  leaving  "  Trapper's  Cabin  " — blueberry-bushes  and  mess,  no 
more.  Were  we  even  on  Raker  Pass,  and  if  so,  why  had  we  climbed 
to  this  high  point.'  He  could  have  camped  anywhere,  it  was  our 
starving  horses  to  whom  our  thoughts  turned. 

W.,  who  had  pulled  us  out  of  so  many  straits,  went  off  to  in- 
vestigate; the  time  seemed  interminable  ai.  we  watched  the  slowly 
uescending  sun,  now  almost  at  the  horizon.  Mt.  Mummery  looked 
down  upon  us  in  icy  indifference  from  across  the  valley,  we  stood 
clinging  to  the  half  frozen  hill-side,  while  the  weary,  hungry  horses, 
with  drooping  heads,  tried  to  retain  a  foothold  on  the  slippery, 
sliding  mud.  No  one  had  had  a  mouthful  of  food  since  breakfast 
(we  had  come  fully  twenty  miles),  darkness  would  soon  be  upon  us, 
we  were  7200  feet  above  sea-level,  and  under  the  circumstances, 
no  one  could  honestly  say  he  felt  cheerful.  Then  W.  returned  with 
the  good  news  that  though  he  was  not  positive  we  were  on  the  right 
track,  he  saw  a  slough  in  a  valley  below,  with  indications  of  feed, 
and  he  thought  we  might  reach  it  before  d  rk.  We  forgot  hunger, 
(61) 


Mary  T.  S.  Schiigt'r 


y 


mud,  colli,  cvi'rythiiiK  but  that  grass  btlow ;  an<l  as  thouRli  the 
horses  liail  lUKkTstood,  with  us,  phiniji'il  di>wu  a  long,  mossy  gully. 
In  a  very  few  minutes  clmpping  loo)  feet  to  a  liny  stream  which  wa» 
flowing  exactly  as  we  wished  it  to  flow.  The  sight  of  a  horse's 
in)print  cheered  lis ;  otlf  came  the  packs  "  no  hobbles  to-night,  there 
is  grass  in  plenty,  and  wherever  we  1k',  there  are  two  days'  rest  for 
our  faithful  friends."  The  next  diy  disclosed  the  f,ict  that  we  had 
really  struck  the  Baker  Pass,  were  right. on  it  in  fact;  but  after 
studving  the  map  and  the  hours  of  travil  the  day  before  wc  found 
the  map  made  the  distance  alxiut  ten  miles,  while  we  had  travelled 
twenty.  Under  the  circumstances  it  sceiiieil  rather  excusable,  that 
for  once  we  had  felt  a  sensation  of  lieiug  lost,  (limbing  a  shoulder 
of  Mt.  Habel  the  next  da>,  we  sDon  had  our  bearings,  looked  down 
into  the  "  I  lap  "  and  upon  -in  e\(|iMsite  little  Like  poised  high  on  a 
shoulder  nearest  the  Yoho;  to  the  north.  Munntiery  and  ["orbes. 
With  binoculars  we  could  see  the  cairns  on  Collie  and  the  \'ice- 
President;  and  into  the  l!eaver-tail  \allcv— our  wa.\-  home. 


